//------------------------------// // Chapter 17 - How to be Assertive // Story: Portals. Portals Everywhere! // by Piece Bot //------------------------------// “Who is this Iron Will guy?” Joseph asked as he looked at the pamphlet that Rainbow Dash had given him. Currently, the pair were taking a walk in the park to let off some steam. They walked passed the site where Apple Bloom and her friends accidentally gave Big Mac and Cheerilie a love poison instead of a love potion. Thinking it a good place as any to sit down, he gestured for Rainbow to do the same. “Iron Will is only the greatest assertive minotaur ever!” Rainbow responded gleefully, doing a small loop before flying back down. “That still didn’t answer my question sheila. I asked who he was. Not what he was.” Joseph said and rolled his eyes, reading the pamphlet over. “The pamphlet should tell you all you need to know. If you want to know more, then come with me to his show that’s on later today.” Rainbow suggested, reading the pamphlet with Joseph over his shoulder. “See? It’s at Hedge Center Plaza.” Rainbow pointed with her hoof. “You? You want assertiveness training? I highly doubt you need it, mate.” Joseph said as he laughed, tucking the pamphlet away in a pocket of his dark green hoody. Rarity made that and a few other sets of casual clothes as well so that he could switch out the clothes when needed. What he had on at the moment was a dark green hoody made out of wool, a plain, white shirt also made out of wool and some sort of material that looked like it was made from interwoven dull gems for his pants. Not knowing whether or not to take his boots off, he decided to leave them be for now. “I don’t need it. I just want to see how he asserts himself, is all.” Rainbow protested, crossing her arms. “Okay then, you convinced me. I’m going to see this show with you.” Joseph said and looked at the address of the place they needed to be at again. “Hedge Centre Maze … sounds like Daedalus’s Labyrinth, especially since a minotaur is going to be hosting the event.” Joseph mused, scratching his chin as he stood up and stretched. “Who?” Rainbow asked, hovering by his side. “Daedalus. He was someone from ancient times back where I came from. He was told to create a labyrinth that shifted and changed as a person went through it. It supposedly held a minotaur in the center of it that was meant to guard something precious. This didn’t work because someone named Theseus, held a red ball of yarn and unravelled the string so that he could find his way back to the entrance. Once he got what he came for, he hurriedly followed the string back to the entrance. He was hurried along because the minotaur was chasing him. I have no idea what happened after that because I was usually asleep by the time my teacher was through with the tale.” Joseph said with a shrug and stared at Rainbow’s open mouth. “What?” “This guy who created the maze, did all that for some precious thing?” Rainbow asked in disbelief. “Yeah. The legend sort of sounds like one of those Daring-Do books you like reading so much.” Joseph said with a wink as Rainbow blushed in embarrassment. “Now come on. We have to figure out where this Hedge Centre Place is.” Joseph said as he began to run in a light jog. Once they made it to the maze, they heard someone speak loudly and forcefully. “Come on! We’re late!” Rainbow yelled at Joseph and zoomed over the top of the maze, leaving Joseph to hurriedly run through it so that he could at least catch the tail end of it. “Crikey! This really is a maze!” Crikey said in a sarcastic tone. “Nothing gets by you does it?” Joseph retorted and finally made it to see Fluttershy of all ponies walking up on the stage. “Fluttershy?” Joseph asked curiously as he watched the show take place. “Why is Fluttershy going up there?” Rainbow asked as she lighted down beside him, having the same curious look on her face. Joseph merely shrugged and watched as the biggest - and only - minotaur he’s ever seen try to teach Fluttershy how to assert herself. “Maybe she’s a volunteer?” Joseph wondered as he clapped along with the other ponies. After the show had ended, Iron Will thanked everyone there and proceeded to pack up while the audience left. Meanwhile, Joseph and Rainbow made their way to Fluttershy. “Hey Fluttershy. What was that about?” Joseph asked as they both caught up. “Oh. Hi, Joseph and Rainbow. Pinkie Pie and Rarity told me to come here because I was being a doormat.” Fluttershy answered softly, lowering her head at the mention of being a doormat. “You’re not a doormat.” Rainbow said with a nervous chuckle. Just then, another pony walked past them and bumped into Fluttershy on their way out. “Oh, sorry.” Fluttershy squeaked. Joseph facepalmed and groaned. “Did you learn anything from that workshop?” He asked, pointing back to Iron Will. Fluttershy nodded and pawed at the ground. “If you did, then why are you still acting like a doormat?” Rainbow asked as she settled down on the ground. “It probably just takes a while to sink in. I have to get back and give Angel his special food.” Fluttershy said and without another peep, she walked off to her cottage. Upon arriving at the cottage, Fluttershy walked in and assembled the meal that Angel had wanted. Going off the picture, she had it looking just right. “Angel.” Fluttershy called out softly. The bunny quit thumping his foot against the floor rapidly and ran into the kitchen with a red and white chequered bib on. Just as the rabbit was about to dig into the meal, Fluttershy apologised for not having a cherry on top, but had hoped it was everything he had asked for. Pausing mid bite, Angel ran off to find the cookbook and bringing it back, he quickly checked the picture with the bowl in front of him. The bowl in front of him and the bowl in the picture did not match at all. In protest, Angel flipped the bowl into Fluttershy’s face, thumping his foot against the floor and tapping against the cherry in the picture. Remembering what Iron Will had taught her, Fluttershy tried to put that into practice now. “Treat me like a pushover, y-y-you’ll get the once over.” Fluttershy said softly and quietly hardened her gaze at Angel. The bunny glared right back but as the impromptu staring contest wore on, Angel relented and chittered away as he slowly ate the original bowl of lettuce that Fluttershy had prepared for him. Feeling satisfied that it somewhat worked, Fluttershy looked at the time and found that it was time for all the animals to go to bed. After they had all finished eating, Fluttershy tucked away each of the animals in their respective homes and finally headed off to bed herself, trying to unsuccessfully give herself a pep talk about trying to be assertive for the next day. The next day, Joseph and Rainbow walked down the main thoroughfare of Ponyville. “I wonder why Fluttershy needed that assertiveness training. I suppose it was obvious but I don’t think she needs it.” Joseph said as he scratched his chin. “I don’t think she needs it either but if Rarity and Pinkie both say that she needs it, then she must have to some degree.” Rainbow said and flapped her wings to hover next to Joseph. As they were about to pass Sugarcube Corner, they saw a whole line of ponies rush out of the door and stared slack-jawed as they got back into line. Firing a portal to the inside and then one beneath his feet, he braced for impact and found Fluttershy chatting with Pinkie and Rarity. That is, until Fluttershy tipped a bowl of pink punch towards Pinkie. “Why did you do that?” Joseph asked as he stood up and walked over. Fluttershy ruffled her wings and flicked her tail before she answered. “She laughed so I erased.” Fluttershy said simply and then walked out the door, calling for a taxi. “Something is not right in that sheila’s head.” Crikey commented. “You got that right.” Joseph agreed. “Did you tell Fluttershy to go to that seminar?” He asked and then ran out as he heard Fluttershy scream something about a nopony and then ride off. “Why did you tell her to do that?” He asked, pointing with his gun to where Fluttershy disappeared. “Because she was letting other ponies walk over her. We had to do something. We tried teaching her how we handled things but it didn’t seem to cotton on so we told her to go to this seminar.” Rarity explained. “It’s your mess. If she blows up, then it’s on you.”  Joseph warned and left the building. They watched Joseph leave and then turned to each other. “Joseph is right. We should see that this doesn’t get out of control.” Pinkie said with a glum look and lead Rarity over to Fluttershy’s cottage. When they arrived, they found Fluttershy arguing with a tourist. She said something to him, then took his camera strap by her mouth and spun him around before, finally, releasing it and sending both him and the camera flying in the direction of the tower, where the stallion landed in a hay bale and his camera making the bell gong. “Fluttershy, darling!” Rarity called out as both parties met up in the middle of the road. “What you did to that poor stallion … maybe you’ve taken your assertiveness training a bit too far?” Rarity asked,  giving her friend a strained smile. “What? You want new Fluttershy to be a doormat like old Fluttershy. But that Fluttershy is gone!” Fluttershy positively shouted at them. “New Fluttershy? Old Fluttershy?” Pinkie groaned in confusion, holding her hooves to her temple and rubbing. “What happened to the nice Fluttershy we all know and love? That Fluttershy we want back, not this new Fluttershy.” Rarity pleaded with her but it was no use. Their conversation degraded into a massive blow out which ended with both Rarity and Pinkie running away crying, while Fluttershy growled and stared angrily at her reflection in the water until she realised that what they were saying was right. Feeling sorry for herself, Fluttershy slowly walked back to her cottage and shut the door. She told Angel to tie her up to a chair which he was only glad to do so. “Fluttershy! Your pay is overdue!” Iron Will growled as he walked up the path. He was confronted though by a human and a pony. “Fluttershy doesn’t want to see you.” Joseph told the minotaur, feeling his legs shake in his boots. “She don’t? Now why is that?” Iron Will asked, leaning down and snorting in Joseph’s face. “Because she’s not home!” Rainbow supplied helpfully with a beaming smile. “Is that so?” Iron Will said with a smirk and went to knock on her door. “No, she’s not. You should come back later, I’m sure she’ll be home by then.” Joseph said with rapid head-nodding. “Well, Iron Will does need to do his grocery shopping. He’ll be back later this afternoon.” Iron Will conceded and taking a dainty white wicker basket out, he walked back the way he had come only to be stopped by Joseph shouting. “But that’s only a half day! We need a full day at least!” “Iron Will will for half a day and no longer!” Iron Will retorted. “A full day!” Joseph repeated and hoped that Pinkie Pie’s teaching him haggling would work on the minotaur. “Half day!” Iron Will answered back. “Full day!” “Half day!” “Half day!” Joseph counter-offered, hoping to trick the bull into buying them a full day. “Full day!” Iron Will said, unaware he was tricked. “We need half a day and no more!” Joseph said, smiling widely. “”Well, you’ll get a full day and no less!” Iron Will shouted at him, spit flying out and hitting Joseph on the face. “That’s great, see you tomorrow then.” Joseph said, waving Iron Will bye. “Bye mister.” Rainbow said and waved as well. Iron Will waved bye to the both of them and then stopped and thought for a second. “Wait. What?” He wondered but the past five minutes were forgotten when he heard a small sneeze come from the cottage. “Oh no.” Rainbow and Joseph said at the same time. “It was no-one ya big bull! That was me shouting! Down here!” Crikey shouted, directing Iron Will’s gaze to him. “You’re nothing but a potato!” Iron Will said, pointing at the potato battery threateningly. “That may be, but the joke’s on you! I LOVE being a potato! Wait … that didn’t work.” Crikey said and turned off, trying to think of something witty to say. “Hey, Will, would you mind taking a few steps back for me?” Joseph suggested. Confused, Iron Will did as instructed and he was sent flying from a small patch of blue gel on the ground. Following the arc with his head, Joseph found that he sailed between two distant trees and ended up creating a big splash in a far-off swamp. “GOAL!” Joseph shouted, raising both arms up in a straight line. “You may have made him mad but that was awesome!” Rainbow said, grinning from ear to ear. “Now let’s see if Fluttershy’s okay.” She said and zoomed to the front door, knocking on it and calling out. When Fluttershy answered, she walked out and took a look around. “Where’ Iron Will?” She asked softly. “I sent him … thattaway.” Joseph said, pointing at the two distant trees. “That’s far.” She said simply and looked at Rainbow. “I know what you’re going to say and I’m fine. Really. I’ve actually had time to think about what he taught me, I mean really think about it, and I think I am able to apply it less forcefully this time.” Fluttershy said with a smile. “Well that’s a relief.” Rainbow and Joseph said at the same time and sighed. “Now that that’s sorted, we’ll have to tell Pinkie and Rarity the news.” Joseph said and patting Fluttershy on the head, turned and lead the both of them to Sugarcube Corner where they can apologise to Pinkie Pie first and then on to Carousel Boutique to apologise to Rarity there.